RE: Staff Canteen/Restaurant Facilities

I am writing to express in the strongest terms possible the disapproval of our members at the downgrading of canteen/staff restaurant facilities in certain stores over the past number of weeks.

In the eyes of our members these facilities constitute a well-established term and condition of employment and the unilateral decision to downgrade existing facilities is totally unacceptable.

I understand that the disquiet being expressed by our members has manifested itself through petitions being presented to local management in some of the locations where the regressive changes have taken place. It has also been reported that many of the members who have attested to these petitions have been subjected to subsequent intimidating behaviour by the management team.

The decision to downgrade the staff canteens/restaurants and the manner in which it is being done only serves to prove in a tangible way to our members, a desire by their employer to remove without proper consultation and agreement certain aspects of their current terms and conditions of employment. Of course they are acutely aware that further attacks of this nature are more likely in the absence of a strong trade union to defend their interests and such a scenario they are not prepared to contemplate.

Please confirm by immediate return agreement by the company to meet with the union to discuss the future plans for staff canteens/restaurant facilities. A refusal to so engage or an attempt to ignore our request will be viewed and relied upon as yet another example of Tesco Ireland’s refusal to meaningfully comply with its obligations contained in collective agreement a tactic which we contend is in furtherance of the overall objective to derecognise Mandate Trade Union.